Oenomaus melleus (Druce)

Faynel, Christophe, Busby, Robert C. & Robbins, Robert K., 2012, Review of the species level taxonomy of the neotropical butterfly genus Oenomaus (Lycaenidae, Theclinae, Eumaeini), ZooKeys 222, pp. 11-45 : 28-29

Oenomaus melleus (Druce)

Distribution, habitat, and remarks.

This species occurs in wet lowland forest. It is recorded from Nicaragua, Costa Rica, French Guiana, Guyana, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, and Brazil (PA, PE, ES).

New material examined.

Costa Rica.- 2♂: Heredia, prov. Finca La Selva, 3 km S. Puerto Viejo, 10°26'N, 84°01'W, 26.VII.1992, leg. H.A. Hespenheide (USNM); prov. Heredia, F. La Selva, 3 km S. Pto. Viejo, 10°26'N, 84°01'W, 5.IV.1985, H.A. Hespenheide (USNM). 1♀: Area de Conservación Guanacaste, voucher Janzen & Hallwachs #97-SRNP-62841, legs away for DNA, Genitalia 2009: 30♀ R.K. Robbins (USNM) (Fig. 20). Guyana.- 1♂: Region 7 Lower Cuyuni River nr. Arimu R. 100', 6°34'N, 58°58'W, 2.IX.1991, leg. S. Fratello (USNM ENT 00180024). Brazil.- 1♂: ES, Itaguassú, IX.1971, Paulo César Elias, A.C. Allyn Acc. 1971-38, genitalia slide/vial #4700, prep. S.S. Nicolay (USNM). 1♀: PE, Recife, 5.I.1962, leg. Ebert (USNM).

Taxonomy.

Faynel (2007, 2008) partitioned this species into a Transandean Region (terminology from Brown 1982) nominate subspecies and an Amazonian Region subspecies Oenomaus melleus guyanensis based on size and color of scales at the base of the VFW. The male genitalia of each taxon were the same. As noted in the next paragraph, the new material examined does not confirm this recognition of two taxa. For example, the Costa Rican specimens resemble the Amazonian ones. For this reason, we synonymize Oenomaus melleus guyanensis Faynel with Oenomaus melleus melleus (Druce), new synonym.

Intraspecific variation.

The wing pattern of Oenomaus melleus is highly variable. The type from Colombia and two specimens from Nicaragua and Venezuela are relatively large (male FW length = 16.8 mm, SD = 1.3, N = 3). They have a white spot on the basal part of VHW cell Rs-M1, no reddish scales on the basal part of ventral wing, and a black spot in VHW cell Cu1-Cu2. The specimens from French Guiana, Guyana, Brazil (PA), Venezuela and Peru (UC) are smaller (male FW length = 14.1 mm, SD = 0.4, N = 5). They have a white spot on the basal part of VHW cell Rs-M1, reddish scales on the basal part of ventral wing, and no black spot in VHW cell Cu1-Cu2. The males from Costa Rica are also relatively small (male FW length = 14.7 mm, SD = 1.6, N = 3). They have no white spot on the basal part of VHW cell Rs-M1, no reddish scales on the basal part of ventral wing and a black spot in VHW cell Cu1-Cu2.

Female.

Described by Faynel (2008).